Mayor Andrew Gillum talks about The Edison before its opening during the groundbreaking ceremony for the space on Thursday Feb. 5, 2015. "We have historic preservation being kept alive," said Mayor Gillum. "We're taking what was the city's original electric building, nearly 100 years old, and will house Tallahassee's newest and best attraction." Adam Corey, whom the FBI is investigating pertaining to the restaurant’s opening, can be seen behind him at right.
(Photo: Joe Rondone/Democrat)Buy Photo

The state ethics probe of former City Manager Rick Fernandez provided a glimpse into an apparently common football game-day practice of elected and other Tallahassee government officials — skybox hopping.

And in the fall of 2016 lobbyist Adam Corey's big, luxury box was a popular place to be.

City Commissioner Scott Maddox stopped by, as did Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge, testimony received during a Florida Commission on Ethics investigation of Fernandez showed.

Also among those seen hobnobbing in Corey's Doak Campbell Stadium skybox was Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, a Democratic candidate for governor.

"During the 2016 football season, Mayor Gillum attended multiple games as a guest of Florida State University and would watch the games from the President's box," Jamie Van Pelt, the mayor's chief of staff, told the Democrat. "Throughout the course of the game, the Mayor would briefly visit multiple other boxes, including Mr. Corey's."

Who visited Corey's skybox was of high interest to state ethics investigators, according to recordings and documents released Wednesday that support the allegations Fernandez misused his position to accept gifts. The investigator asked specifically about Gillum and Maddox and other officials who were seen in the box.

Gillum has told the Democrat that he severed ties with Corey, a friend since college. Gillum also has said repeatedly that he's been told he is not a focus of the FBI's investigation.

Buy Photo

Adam Corey, former lobbyist, real estate developer and restaurateur who received $2.1 million in local tax money to renovate the building that now houses his Edison Restaurant. He is a longtime friend of Mayor Andrew Gillum, and was his volunteer campaign treasurer when Gillum ran for mayor. He also lobbied before the city on behalf of several clients and arranged a trip to New York City that also involved Gillum and undercover agents.(Photo: Hali Tauxe/Democrat)

Nick Lowe, a former lobbyist of Corey’s firm and Eddie Kring, the restaurant's former catering director, told Ethics Commission investigators they saw at least five public officials and several city administrators in Corey's luxury skybox that season.

Lowe said both Gillum and City Commissioner Scott Maddox visited the skybox, as did county commissioners Nick Maddox and Desloge.

"I've never been there as his guest, but I have been in the box to visit," said Desloge, who owns a box seat two doors down.

As FSU alumni and parents of two FSU students, Scott Maddox and his family have had their own skybox for over 20 years, said Allie Fleming, Maddox's commission assistant. People visit each other's skyboxes during halftime and before and after the games, she said.

Nick Maddox said he never received any tickets and didn't recall being in Corey's skybox.

Gillum's then chief of staff Dustin Daniels, who is now running for mayor, also was spotted there, Lowe said. But Daniels dismissed any notion that he was a guest in Corey's skybox.

"I have attended FSU games, but as a guest in the President's box as a part of the volunteer alumni initiatives I serve," Daniels told the Democrat. "The source of this information is suspect, and their motivations are completely political."

Human Resources Director Ellen Blair and Underground Utilities Director Mike Tadros and Fernandez's daughters were also there, according to Lowe.

While the written report noted that Lowe told investigators he also saw city Communications Director Alison Faris in the skybox, Lowe told the Democrat he reviewed the audio and that wasn't the case. Faris also told the Democrat she was not in Corey's skybox.

Blair told investigators she was in Corey's skybox for two FSU games in 2016 at the invitation of Fernandez, who gave her the tickets. Tadros attended at least one of those games, she said.

Tadros said he was not a football fan, but attended two games.

"To understand how it was that he came to sit in Mr. Corey's skybox, the investigative report said, "Tadros said it was important to understand that the city's utilities department operates like a private rather than a public entity."

Tadros explained he saw Corey as a customer and not a lobbyist.

"We do this all the time," Tadros told investigators. "In utilities we perceive things totally different."

This photo shows the three men believed to be undercover FBI agents who used aliases and cover stories as part of an investigation in Tallahassee. Pictured from left are Mike Miller, Mike Sweets and Brian Butler. The Democrat decided to blur the physical characteristics of the men after discussions with the FBI.(Photo: Special to the Democrat)

Undercover FBI agents in the skybox

In his testimony, Fernandez recounted a meeting in Corey's box with potential investors who wanted to develop property in Tallahassee. When he got to the game, Fernandez recognized them from a prior lunch meeting he'd had with them to discuss their plans.

Fernandez said it didn't appear that Corey was representing them, just helping them see what the city could do for them.

At another game, Fernandez said he visited Scott Maddox in his own skybox and saw the same two developers with Maddox. Fernandez said he later learned the two men were thought to be undercover FBI agents.

"People often stop by their box without invitation as Mr. Corey and his associates did," said, Fleming, Maddox's assistant.

Edison manager points to Gillum discount

Other statements and material provided by Former Edison manager Sam McKay to the Florida Commission on Ethics also shed some light on the relationship between Mayor Andrew Gillum and lobbyist and The Edison co-owner Adam Corey.

In one email to investigator Keith Powell, McKay includes snapshots of text messages from Corey about a discount for the wedding reception of former City Manager Rick Fernandez's daughter. A catering discount for the wedding also was a focus of the ethics investigation.

Andrew Gillum(Photo: Special to the Democrat)

"I also included one (text) that is about the mayor as well," McKay said. "Adam says he needs to give a discount to the mayor. Not sure if you need that one."

The Mayor's Office said initially they were not aware of any discounts, but llater they told the Democrat they were looking into McKay's claim.

The text was not included in the records received by the Democrat, but in interviews with investigators, McKay said Corey would get personally involved in the mayor's events.

"And the mayor does a children’s function every year — that’s a different one Adam said he had to give a discount to,” McKay said.

At another point during the interview, he said, "The mayor's brunch is another big one that he gets involved in."